676 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
OCT.4S 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
CONDUCTED BY 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
78 Duana Street, New York City. 
SATURDAY, OCT. 18, 1879. 
FAIRS. 
At the present time, and at this season 
each year, the average farmer is regular 
in his attendance at fairs. State, local and 
county fairs are now in full blast, and a 
glance at the Rural's list is a satisfac¬ 
tory proof that the article is supplied in 
quantities equal to all demands. As it is 
thus conclusively shown that there are 
fairs enough to go round, it may be worth 
our while to ask the question, “ What do 
they amount to as a means of enlightening 
the classes for whom they are especially 
designed ?” 
In theory a fair is the least expensive 
and most convenient means of assembling 
all that is best in live-stock, farm pro¬ 
ducts, machinery and horticultural novel¬ 
ties for purposes of study, comparison 
and sale, and the several exhibits are 
presumed to be so arranged and disposed 
that these objects may be easily attained. 
A fair is nothing if not educational in its 
tendencies, at least. As a matter of fact, 
managers of agricultural societies seem 
to lose sight entirely of fundamental prin¬ 
ciples, and conduct their shows just as 
would any shrewd amusement-monger 
whose only aim is to make the gate- 
money the index of success. 
It looks as if there was no confidence 
placed in the idea that the farmers take 
an interest in the profession to which they 
are wedded; hence horse-trots, tourna¬ 
ments, and other heterogeneous displays 
are interjected into fairs, taking oft-times 
the most prominent part. Iu short, a fair 
without the racing features is considered 
by many as the play of Hamlet would be 
without the Prince. No more successful 
policy could be adopted to bring the sys¬ 
tem into disrepute. 
As at present planned, the agricultural 
fair is quite unsatisfactory to the student 
of agriculture. There seems to be a lack 
of system and ideas among the managers. 
Little heed is paid to compactness 
and coherence of arrangement. The 
live-stock is often stalled without 
such an arrangement in classes as would 
enable a visitor to take a comprehensive 
view, and the animals, when judged, are 
led into a prize-ring in a hurly-burly 
fashion that is confusion worse con¬ 
founded. After the awards are made, 
the inquisitive farmer may straggle about 
the pens and gaze at some blanketed 
creature, adorned with a blue ribbon, 
and get what information it is possible to 
extract from some ignorant, indifferent 
attendant. If he iB interested in Jerseys, 
for example, he will probably find them 
sandwiched between other breeds, ac¬ 
cording to the convenience of the exliib- 
itor or the whim of the superintendent. 
After having been trotted out for the 
delectation of the judges, the horses are 
as inaccessible for purposes of study and 
comparison as if they were precious jew¬ 
els done up in cotton. 
The horticultural display is arranged 
to suit the convenience of exhibitors, and 
apples, grapes, etc., are as inextricably 
mixed aB if they were different varieties 
of the same species. It would seem idle 
to add that this is all wrong, and that 
such an arrangement defeats, in a meas¬ 
ure, the purpose which brought them 
together. There should be intelligent 
method. Things of the same kind should 
be grouped together, no matter if, in 
doing so, one man’s entries are placed in 
fifty different places. There should be 
more compactness. Entry cards should 
state clearly the class, name and particu¬ 
lars of the exhibit. It is not enough to 
affix a number to a stall, for instance, and 
leave a wide field for speculation as to 
whether the thing shown is a pyramid or 
a pig. Everybody cannot afford to pro¬ 
cure catalogues, and even when pur¬ 
chased, they are no great aid, as it is un¬ 
usual for more than two-thirds the entries 
to be actually represented, while many 
exhibitors are on hand who have not en¬ 
tered at all. Prize-takers in every class 
should be conspicuously shown, and all 
pains taken to explain their merits. If 
these things were done, a fair would ful¬ 
fill its mission and our question receive a 
complete answer. The matter, after all, 
is considerably controlled by farmers 
themselves; let us see, then, if next 
year we cannot chronicle an improve¬ 
ment. In the meantime our readers are, 
at the present time invited to post them¬ 
selves upon Potatoes. 
UTILITY OF A SEED-CONTROLLING 
STATION. 
A Seed-Controlling Station has for 
several years been in operation in Den¬ 
mark. The object of this institution is 
to ascertain the quality of the seeds sent 
in for analysis as to their purity, germ¬ 
inating power, percentage of weeds, per¬ 
centage of unsound graius, etc., and thus 
to protect farmers, gardeners and others, 
who use seed, from being imposed upon 
by unscrupulous dealers, and to advise 
them as to the use of seeds they may 
already have on hand. The station has 
done some excellent work and given much 
satisfaction. However, in a late number 
of “ Ugeskiift for Landmtend” a promi¬ 
nent faimer, in a somewhat striking man¬ 
ner, proves that either the system adapted 
for analysis is at fault, or the work is care¬ 
lessly conducted. He selected samples of 
clover seed, red and white, filling several 
bags with the same kinds and from the 
same bins respectively, then sealed up 
the bags, stamped them with different 
stamps and sent them by diffei-ent routes 
to the station. Not dreaming that the 
samples were from the same lot of seeds, 
or even from the same man,the officials 
found an undue discrepancy in the quality 
of the seeds, which ought to have been 
alike, and the writer therefore argues 
that there is something wrong. 
Whatever may be at fault in this case, 
the advantages of a Seed-Controlling 
Station, when properly conducted, are 
easily seen. The standard of quality of 
both farm and garden seeds would im¬ 
mediately be raised, and by virtue of the 
strong competition already existing, every 
seedsman would be obliged to deal iu 
nothing but the best seeds or else retire 
from the business. The constant liability 
to analysis would do away with the many 
adulterations now practised of seed sold 
on a large scale. The trade in seeds, espe¬ 
cially in those that are raised largely as 
farm crops, constitutes no little item of 
commerce. Statistics show that during 
the three months from the first of January 
to the 31st of March, 1879, our exports 
of seeds, mainly clover and timothy, 
amounted to no less than $1,005,206, 
which is even less than for the corre¬ 
sponding period of last year, while our 
imports of seeds for the same three 
mouths of the current year, amounted to 
$89,295, and those of last year to $102,151. 
The price that the cultivators must pay 
for these imported seeds when ratailed to 
them, -will run up to at least twice or per¬ 
haps three times the above values. 
We urge that a Seed-Controlling Station 
be established by the Agricultural Depart¬ 
ment at Washington. The expense to 
be incurred would be small beyond the 
salaries of competent and trustworthy 
men to do the work, while the benefit it 
would confer upon our farmers and plant¬ 
ers, and upon this branch of our com¬ 
merce, would be inestimable. 
PEARL (CAT-TAIL) MILLET. 
Last year we raised a few rows of this 
now much-talked-of forage plant at the 
‘‘Rural Grounds,'' Bergen Co., N. J. 
The soil is there a clayey loam. As may 
be seen by reference to this journal of 
November 2d, 1878, our best plant grew 
to the bight of ten feet one inch. There 
were 56 stalks, and the weight of the entire 
plant was 42j pounds. The soil was not 
highly manured, nor was any special care 
given to the plants. Taking such a plant 
as our unit of measure, the yield per acre 
would have proven something prodigious. 
But such estimates are usually very de¬ 
ceptive, and we took occasion (as refer¬ 
ence to the above number will show) to 
guard our readers agaiust extravagant ex¬ 
pectations. Some time after Mr. Peter 
Henderson reported his yield under high 
cultivation. It was so much greater than 
ours that we remarked upon it and he 
replied that in fact his yield was greater 
than he had stated. This year we planted 
Pearl Millet in considerable quantities at 
our farm. Here, unlike the “Rural 
Grounds,” the soil is a sandy, sometimes 
gravelly loam, and the situation within 
three miles of the ocean. We planted it 
in four different parts of the farm. One 
was manured with stable aud barnyard 
manure ; another with liquid barn-yard 
manure ; the third with superphosphate 
and wood-ashes, and the fourth with stable 
manure and superphosphate. Strange to 
say, there was not a plant that attained 
the hight of six feet, and the average 
bight was lesB than five. Strange again, 
there was no difference in the growth as 
between the several plots. The plants 
were all alike, dwarf and slender, unmind¬ 
ful whether heavily manured or not 
manured at all; whether manured with 
ashes, superphosphate, stable or barn¬ 
yard manure, one or all. Those who 
have read our voluminous “Everywhere” 
reports will not be surprised at the above 
report from our farm. In a majority of 
instances our correspondents have met 
with failure in this their first trial of 
Pearl Millet, while a small minority have 
met with gratifying success. The upshot 
of it all is that'while its cultivation may 
iu a few places in the North be profitably 
continued, there need no longer be any 
doubt entertained as to whether Pearl 
Millet will ever meet the grand expect¬ 
ations which the results of a few garden 
trials have excited. 
- » ♦-» - 
Mb. B. K. Bliss, at our request, sent 
to the Rural Farm one peck (15 lbs.) of 
Late Snowflake potatoes. These were 
cut to single eyes and two pieces were 
planted six inches apart in each hill. 
They were planted not until June 18. It 
is a matter of guess-work whether, if noth¬ 
ing had occurred to interfere with their 
growth, they would have matured. Just 
as the tubers were beginning to form, 
however, a terrible rain-storm occurred 
which for several hours inundated the 
field in which they were growing, killing 
late pea aud cucumber vines aud injuring 
many other vegetables cultivated in the 
same field. To what extent the Late 
Snowflakes were injured we can not say. 
The crop was dug Oct. 1st, and, although 
most of them were very small, the aver¬ 
age was at least GO potatoes to a hill. In 
one hill there were 80, counting every 
one even if no larger than a pea. We 
have since cooked aome of them and a 
whiter, brighter, mealier potato we have 
never seen or tasted. 
--- 
BREVITIES. 
Thebe is probably uo potato that is a better 
keeper than Snowflake. 
Two sound eyes to a hill are sufficient. As 
many potatoes can be raised therefrom as if 
whole potatoes are used. 
The best potatoes, grown under favorable 
circumstances, contain 20 per cent, of starch: 
poor ones, about 10 per cent. 
Taking this number all-in-all, it will be seen 
that we have in no wise exaggerated the yield, 
earliness or duality of the Beauty of Hebrou 
eent free to our subscribers. 
We take the liberty to regard the use of bags 
as a covering for bunches of grapes, thereby 
protecting them from iuseets and birds, as one 
of the vagaries of enthusiastic horticulturists. 
We are much indebted to the following per¬ 
sons for the use of many of the engravings of 
potatoes used in this number of the Rural 
New-Yorker. viz : B. K. Bliss & Sons, J. M. 
Thorburu & Go., James J. II. Gregory, Peter 
Henderson. 
A cellar that is cool, dry and dark, and yet 
well ventilated,is the best place fur preserving 
potatoes in large quantities. When smaller 
quantities are to be preserved there is nothing 
like dry sand. The same may be said of fruits 
and roots of all sorts. 
Farmers do not attach enough importance 
to the preservatiou of the Leaves of the potato 
plant, They too often wait for the potato 
beetle to destroy a part of the leaves before 
Paris-green is applied. A full crop of tubers is 
impossible without perfect leaves. 
Our special correspondent at the Illinois 
State Fair says that the horse premiums went 
directly where they should go—into the pock¬ 
ets of men who breed for useful rather than 
for sporting purposes. He attributes the high 
order of visitors aud the spirit of candid in¬ 
quiry that were everywhere seen and mani¬ 
fested to the absence of the trotting horse. 
The imports of England for the first four 
weeks of the new harvest exceeded 7.200,000 
cwts. of wheat and flour agaiust 4 400,000 cwts. 
in 1878; 4,100.000 cwts. iu 1877 and 3.400,- 
000 cwts, in 1876. It is estimated that the 
sales of foreign wheat during that time have 
been seven times greater than sales of home¬ 
grown wheat. 
A dozen years ago British consumers re¬ 
quired a trifle less than two pounds of im¬ 
ported bam and bacon per head; now they 
require a trifle over twelve and a half pounds 
for every man, woman and child in the coun¬ 
try. As we said editorially the other day, our 
foreign market for stock products is growing 
apace. 
At the International Patato Show at the 
Crystal Palace, the American potatoes held a 
prominent place. In the great open class of 
24 varieties, the first prize was awarded to a 
collection having nine varieties of those sent 
out by B. K. Bliss &Sons, of this city. Another 
class of twelve varieties of which six were 
American, took second premium. 
In all accounts of fairs lately held in nearly 
every part of the country, there are few thiugs 
more remarkable than the rapid propagation 
of Jersey cattle noted by the prom iueut posi¬ 
tions they hold at the. different exhibitions. A 
few years back, a Jersey was seldom seen at 
any of the fairs, except here and there iu the 
East, whereas, now according to nearly all 
reports, they number as many as any other 
breed, and often more. 
Autumn is the best time to cleanse fruit trees, 
and indeed all plants, from scales and other 
insects. Now the fruit trees can be handled 
with less liability of breakiug buds aud spurs 
than in the spring after the buds have begun 
to swell, and the work will be as effective now 
as then. Use strong soapsuds of whale-oil 
soap. Apply it with a stiff brush; and do not 
confine the washing to the trunk, but go over 
all the small branches and everywhere on the 
tree where scales are found. 
A third batch of prospecting English farm¬ 
ers have arrived in Canada to “spy out” the 
suitability of the land for the settlement of 
many intending agricultural emigrants. It 
matters little ultimately to this country whether 
these men settle here or in the Douiiaion; for 
the immigration across the border from our 
neighborland bears an annual ratio to the 
number of new settlers there: the more new¬ 
comers enter the Dominion, the heavier the 
emigration thence to the United States. 
And still they come:—Another batch of 267 
farmers with their wives and families left 
Liverpool for Texas last Thursday. For years 
Texas has directed considerable attention to 
inducing foreign emigrants to settle in the 
Lone Star State. She has sent several promi¬ 
nent men as agents to Great Britain who have 
there delivered addresses iu public halls and 
elsewhere, setting forth ttio advantages of that 
State for settlement, aud now she seems to be 
reaping the advantages of her past efforts. 
We see m the Pacific Rural Press the state¬ 
ment that Staphylea Bolanderi, about which 
little has been hitherto known, has been re¬ 
discovered by Prof. J. G. Lemmon, of Sierra 
Valley. Prof. Bolander found it many years 
ago, but only in bloom. The shrub has its 
leaflets in threes. The fruit is an inflated pod 
from two to three inches long, pendant, like a 
pear, hanging in clusters of three or more. 
They remain upon the branch through winter. 
The shrub grows about 10 feef in hight. It 
belongs to the order Sapiudacese, in which 
there are but four other genera. 
The growing importance of our live-stock 
interests urgent!y demand more attention to 
the improvements of our herds, and whatever 
lends to bring this about, by impressing the 
advantages of it upon the public mind, de¬ 
serves commendation. Of this character is 
the Fat-Stock Show to be held iu Chicago on 
November 10. Entries for it must be made 
with Mr. Fisher, Secretary of the State Board 
of Agriculture, at Springfield, Ill., on or before 
November 1. Successful as was the first show 
of the kind last year, we trust that the coming 
one will be still more fortunate. 
Not since O’ConueU's days have the Irish 
people been so thoroughly stirred up as they 
are at the present time. A large number of 
landlords are following the example of their 
English compeers, and making reductions in 
rent; but this concession can be of little bene¬ 
fit to tenants who can absolutely pay nothing 
in a majority of cases. Passive resistance to 
the payment of reut Is the course urged upon 
the tenant-farmers by their leaders. If this 
advice is followed, it Is hard to see how the 
landlords can enforce their claims. The en¬ 
tire evicition of the recusant farmers of a 
country so purely agricultural as Ireland, is 
impracticable. 
The English potato crop is so remarkably 
poor this year, that it is estimated that farmers 
must lose at the lowest estimate $25,000,000 by 
this crop alone. A dozen years ago the aver¬ 
age quantity of imported potatoes used in 
Great Britain was only five pounds per head, 
and that was nearly double the amount used 
in the two preceding years; now the popula¬ 
tion use an average of a trifle under 29 pounds 
a head ; and this ratio must be largely in¬ 
creased the coming season, owing to the failure 
of the present crop. It is, therefore, probable 
that the export demand from this side, of the 
Atlantic will stiffen up prices for potatoes at 
least along the States east of the Alleghanies. 
Cover such plants as Pampas Grass, Tri- 
tomas, aud remove Dahlias and the like to the 
cellar where it is best to cover them with sand. 
Hardy bulbs may now be reset for another 
year.' Dig over the beds and put them in 
order for next spring. Prepare the ground for 
lawns and sow Blue-grass. An old bueket or 
paint, keg half-fillud with stable manure, and 
filled with water an used, will furnish enough 
fertilizing material for 500 plants during the 
winter. Cover the lteg with a board- Wash 
all pots dean before they are used. Pot the 
Tube-ro6es that have not bloomed—they will 
bloom during the winter. If Mignonette seeds 
be sown now, the plants will bloom before 
spring. Deutzia gracilis is a fine plant for 
forcing. Cyclamen Persicum is one of our 
prettiest winter-blowing bulbs. 
Two days after publication in our last 
issue that the price of wheat must go even 
higher, it weut up from four to seven cents, 
aud there Beems little danger of its declining, 
except, perhaps through some temporary 
flurry. Speculators complain that this year 
there is much less chance than usual for them 
to realize heavy profits, inasmuch as farmers 
have themselves been holding back their crops 
for good prices. This step they attribute to 
the wider knowledge of the state of the mark¬ 
ets and the probable outlook diffused among 
farmers by the agricultural press. Heretofore 
these men bought at low figures, so cutting 
short the fanners’ remuneration ; held on for a 
rise, and reaped a lurge profit from other mens’ 
labors; now the profits go, to a great extent, 
where they ought to go—into the farmers' 
pockets. Usually we do not advise farmers to 
become speculators In their own products ; but 
this year the certainty of good prices for 
nearly all farm products justifies a judicious 
change in this matter. 
The annnal convention of the North Amer¬ 
ican Bee-keepers’ Society will be held in the 
Lyceum Theater, Des Plaines St. Chicago Ill, 
commencing at 10 a. M. on Tuesday the 21st 
iust. Present indications point to a very 
large and enthusiastic meeting. Arrange¬ 
ments have been made with a number of rail¬ 
roads to carry those going to the convention 
at reduced rates, but iu order to avail them¬ 
selves of this reduction of fare, they must 
obtain a certificate from the chairman of the 
executive committee, Mr. T. G. Newman, 
(whose address we believe i6 972 West Madi¬ 
son St. Chicago.) which is to be presented 
to the railroad officials. Those of our bee¬ 
keeping friends who may find it convenient 
to attend, will probably have an opportunity 
to learn much that may prove advantageous. 
Twenty-five of the most prominent bee-keep¬ 
ers in the country are appointed to present 
essays on all the topics that at present are of 
paramount interest to the business. 
1 
I 
